Rents: Talks to continue with DSC

Talks between Council and Department of Social Care continue over rents pointing system

Councillor David Christian says 'there is a fundamental need to update the points system'Leader of Douglas Borough Council Councillor David Christian JP has said the Council welcomes Social Care Minister Robertshaw’s offer of continued dialogue to work towards resolving opposing views on pointing system methods for assessing social housing rental values.

In a letter to Mr Robertshaw Councillor Christian stated that while the Council could not agree that the Department of Social Care’s updated pointing system was an equitable way to calculate rents it was willing to engage with the department to arrive at a solution that was in the best interests of the tenants of Douglas Borough Council yet not in conflict with the Department.

The Department of Social Care has directed local authorities to implement a 1.8 per cent inflation rent increase linked to its revised rents point system. The effect of the revised pointing system would, however, mean that around half of the Council’s properties would see a revised rent increase ranging from just over 11 per cent to, in some cases an amount of 31 per cent. The Council has therefore requested to increase its rents by 11.25 per cent, a rise in line with the average increase were it to adopt the department’s updated system, which the Council believes is a fairer approach for our tenants.

Councillor Christian said: ‘The Council and the Department of Social Care are in accord that there is a fundamental need to update the points system which has been in operation, largely unchanged, for the past 20 years. Where we differ, however, is in what methodology should be applied to arrive at the most equitable solution.

‘There is genuine will on both sides to resolve the matter and to this end Mr Robertshaw and I will continue to hold frank discussions over the coming weeks.’